Update: For those who missed out on Michael Shermer’s talk, you can watch the video here:
The video is also available on the Melbourne Graduate School of Science YouTube channel, and at the Live@Melbourne website.
His book, The Believing Brain, is available at bookshops including The Melbourne University Bookshop, Embiggen Books and Readings.
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For those not in the know, Dr Michael Shermer is one of the world’s leading science writers, skeptics and critical thinkers. His website bio lists him as the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the Executive Director of the Skeptics Society, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, the host of the Skeptics Distinguished Science Lecture Series at Caltech, and Adjunct Professor at Claremont Graduate University.
In Melbourne this September to speak at the Think Inc science and rationalism conference, Dr Shermer will present a public lecture at the University of Melbourne on “The Believing Brain: How we construct beliefs and reinforce them as truths”.
In his talk, Dr Shermer will present his comprehensive and provocative theory on how humans form beliefs about the world. He will answer the questions of how and why we believe what we do in all aspects of our lives, from our suspicions and superstitions to our politics, economics and social beliefs.
Drawing on 30 years of research, Dr Shermer will explain the neurophysiology of belief system construction at the single neuron level, and then reconstruct, from the bottom up, how our brains form beliefs. He will explain how these cognitive processes evolved, what purpose they served in the lives of our ancestors, and what purpose they serve in our lives today. Dr Shermer will demonstrate why science is the best tool to determine whether or not a belief matches reality.
Date: Monday 19 September 2011
Time: 6.00pm-7.00pm
Venue: Copland Theatre, Arts West (Building 148)
Admission is free.
Please register to attend this public lecture.
For enquiries and more information please contact Robyn Trethowan at rtret@unimelb.edu.au or on 8344 4392.
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The Think Inc science and rationalism conference will be held on 18 September 2011. Speakers include: astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, journalist Christopher Hitchens (also known as one of the Four Horsemen of New Atheism), environmental scientist Tim Flannery, author and activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and social justice advocate Father Bob Maguire. For more on the conference and to buy tickets visit: www.thinkinc.org.au